Carpenter&#39;s tool.



PATENTED NOV. 28, 1905.

E L MQDANIEL -GARPE'NTERS TOOL.

APPLICATION FILED JAN 31 1905 luon do;

atfozwuts embodying the invention.

UNITED ST T PATENT OFFICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 31, 1905. Serial No. 243,586.

Patented Nov. 28, 1905.

I This invention provides improvements in that type of tools commonly employed by carpenters for laying flooring or securing siding to buildings, and comprising, essentially, a suitable'lever having means for fulcruming the same to a 'oist or similar part, a device carried by said ever for engagement with the boards to press the same together, and a brace for positively holding the lever in position after the boards have been forced together preparatory to nailing the latter to the parts to which they may be applied.

For a full description of the invention and the merits thereof and also to acquire .,a knowledge of the details of construction of the means for effecting the result reference is to be had 1305116 following description and accom anying rawlngs. I

While the invention may be applied to different forms and conditions by changes in the structure and minor details without departin from the spirit or essential features thereo still the preferred embodiment thereof is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a device Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the rest members forming a part of the invention;

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the followin description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

claimed.

, having ivotal connection with the lever ad-,

The device, as shown, consists, primarily, of a lever 1, having a work-engaging member or dog 2 pivoted thereto at its lower end. The dog 2-operates upon one side of the lever, and extending from the opposite side and jacent t e upper extremity thereof is a brace 3, The lever 1 is positioned by'means of handle the brace whatever.

clamp members 4, having inwardly-curved jaws 5, adapted to engage upon opposite sides of a joist or like support. The clamp members 4 are normally forced toward each other by means of springs 6, bearing against the outer'sides thereof, and said members 4 are disposed upon opposite sides of the lever 1, being movable toward and from the lever in order to engage and disengage the same with the part upon which the device is to be mounted. An auxiliary lever 7 is carried b the lever 1, and wedges 8, pivoted to the lower end of the auxiliary lever, operate between the clamp members 4 and the said lever in order to se arate the clamp members when it is desired sion ofthe springs 6 being of course overcome in accomplishing the latteroperation. In order that the inwardly-curved jaws 5 of the members 4 may have a firm bearing against the part upon mounted, rest members 10 are used, said members being attached to the lower extremities of the clamp members 4 upon the inner sides of the latter and located approximately atthe curve at which the jaws 5 project from the said clam members. The rest members are preferably of semicircular form, having threaded attaching-shanks by which they may be readily screwed to the members 4. The use of the members 10 is very advantageous in that when the members 4 are forced together by the springs 6 the pointed or biting portions of the jaws will be caused to enter the art with which they are engaged more deep y than would otherwise be the case, the above subserving the rigidity of the device when" in actual use.

The brace 3, above described, has pivotal connection with the lever 1 just below the handle 15 thereof, and the lower end of this brace is pointed so as to engage the joist or like art to hold the lever 1 in a position in whic the boards engaged bythe dog 2 are pressed firmly against adjacent boards. It is commonly necessary to .bear down upon the brace 3 in order to cause the point thereof tobite into the joist, and it is a feature of this lnvention to provide means normally causing the point of the brace 3 to firmly engage the joist or similar part,as'the case may be, Without making. it necessary for the operator to For this purpose a spring 11 is utilized, one end of said spring being connected with'links 12, which connect the auxiliary lever 7 with the main to apply the device, the tenwhich the device is lever 1. The spring 11 is thus connected to the main lever 1 virtually at one end through the. medium of the members 8, the opposite end of the spring being connected with the brace 3 to guide the brace 3 upon the joist or like part, and to prevent displacement of the brace 3 from such part a guide member 13 is attached to the brace near its lower end. The member 13 consists of a transverse bar 13 and spaced fingers or projections 13', adapted to embrace a joist upon opposite sides and effectively prevent lateral movement of the brace in adjusting the device in position preparatory to use. The spring 11 connects with the bar 13 of the guide member 13, and this member 13 is preferably detachably secured to the brace 3 by any suitable fastening means.

It will be understood that in the broad application of the 'invention the spring 11 may be directly connected with the lever 1 and the brace 3. However, it is preferably attached in the manner shown and described when applied to the construction of tool such as that illustrated.

In using the invention the wedges 8 are first operated so as to se arate the jaws 5, and then the lever is so pl aced that the jaws are disposed upon opposite sides of the joist, for instance, and the auxiliary lever 7 is operated to permit the springs 6 to actuate the jaws 5 and clamp members 4 to cause the jaws to bite firmly into the sides of the joist, the members 10 forming fulcruming means assisting the above operation. The member 2 is now engaged with the flooring-board and the lever 1 forced into a direction in which the member 2 will bear hard against the side of such board, the brace 3 having previously been engaged with the upper side of the joist upon which the device is mounted. As the lever 1 is thrown in the direction indicated the guide member 13 effectively prevents displacement thereof, and the s ring 11 assists in causing the point of t 1e brace to firmly engage with the joist, so that the lever 1 may be released at any time and will be held in proper position.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. In a carpenters tool, the combination of a lever, a work-enga ing member projecting from one side of the Iever, a brace extendin from the other side of the lever-and movabIy attached thereto, and a guide device carried by saidbrace and embodying spaced guide members.

2. In a carpenters tool, the combinationof a lever, a. pivoted work-engaging member projecting from one side of the lever, a brace pivoted to the lever and extending from the other side thereof, a transverse bar secured to the lower end portion of said brace, spaced guide members projecting downwardly from said bar, and a spring connected at one end with the transverse bar of the brace. and at its opposite end with the lever.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDWIN L. MODANIEL. [L. s.]

Witnesses WILLIAM D. MoREA, WILLIAM E. BEcKwI'rIL' 

